Guggul (C. wightii) is distributed mainly in Gujarat and Rajasthan states of India. It is cultivated for the oleo-gum resin which has wide application in allopathic, ayurvedic and unani system of medicine. E and Z guggulsterones used as markers for standardization of lipid fraction associated with other complex lipids of this resin (having similar polarities) are of interest from this oleo-gum-resin as they produce drug for etheroscelrosis. The drug has also achieved prominence due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic, anti-arthritis, hypo-cholesteremic, hypolipidimic and anti-fertility activities. Its extract also reduces serum cholesterol and effects catecholamine metabolism considerably. A cholesterol lowering drug, prepared from guggul-gum-resin of C. wightii is in the market under the trade name Guglip. Guggul is collected from the wild untended plants by tribal people by the traditional tapping methods used to obtain guggul of C. wightii. However, few improved tapping techniques used `mitchie golledge`, knife coupled with ethephon (2-chloroethyl phosphoric acid and ethelene releasing synthetic chemical) application has been devised. This method could enhance guggul production but again the tapping injures the plant resulting in drying up the plant recognizing the rapid and extensive depletion of the natural population of C. wightii, this species has been listed as a threatened plant of India (Current Science 58, 349-357, 1989, references cited therein). India used to produce over 40 tons of guggul gum from the arid tracts of Rajasthan and Gujarat states. Now a mere 4-5 tons of the gum is being traded there. Other methods so far developed by researchers, though relate to get some more guggul gum, however, not much attention is paid to save the plant. Further, no improvement programme for guggul gum plant has been taken up to identify a superior clone having higher guggulsterones from the genetic resources of guggul plant available in Rajasthan and Gujarat, India.
Thus, we have made efforts to develop a non destructive method of obtaining the desired hypolipidemic drug from the aerial part of C. wightii. The plant can be pruned each year without damaging it which will ensure the constant supply of the crude drug. Starting from 5th year of plant, about 10 kg of dry branches can be obtained each year from each plant.
Number of reviews and research papers have appeared in various journals where the detailed chemistry of guggul gum resin and it's pharmacological properties have been discussed. However, there is no report where they have obtained hypolipidemic lipid fraction from C. wightii stems (G. V. Satyavati, Medicinal Plants of India, Vol. , 270-276, 1976).
Guggulu, the gum resin exudate from C. wightii is a complex mixture of steroids, diterpenoids, aliphatic esters, carbohydrates and a variety of inorganic ions besides minor amount of sesamin and other unidentified constituents (Tetrahedron 28, 2341 1972).
In one of the methods guggulsterones were isolated from the neutral fraction after saponification of the chloroform extract of guggul gum (C. wightii) and their structures were determined (J. Res. Indian Med. 10(2), 11, 1975).
In one of the method guggul gum resin was extracted with ethyl acetate and this fraction was divided equentially in neutral, acidic and basic fractions and then the neutral fraction was again divided into ketonic and non-ketonic fraction The non-ketonic fraction was subdivided into by partitioning between hexane-90% aqueous methanol. This methanol fraction was diluted by adding water to 50% methanol and partitioned with benzene to get benzene phase and 50% aq. MeOH phase. Out of these fractions, the hypolipidemic activity was located in neutral, acidic and basic fractions. (G. V. Satyavati, Medicinal Plants of India, Vol. I, 270-276, 1976, reference cited therein).
In another report, hypolipidemic properties of keto-steroids from guggul gum resin has been discussed (C.A. 85: 256, (1976)).
A patent on hypolipidemic tablets containing guggul lipid from guggul gum resin is in literature (C.A. 116: P 67242, 1992).
Indina Patent No. 148265 describes a process wherein guggul gum resin was repeatedly extracted with ethyl acetate and the extract after concentration was divided into acidic, basic and neutral fractions. The neutral fraction contained Z and E guggulsterones and other lipids which were responsible for cholesterol lowering activity. Other compounds such as guggul sterols exhibiting synergistic hypolipidemic effect were also present. Routine standardization of guggul lipid prepared from resin samples was done on the basis of concentration of Z & E guggul sterones as markers present in it by using HPLC.
Pure guggul gum resin usually contains 1 to 1.5% of Z and E guggulsterones and from a 10 to 15 years old guggul plant, 300 to 400 gm of the gum is obtained on deep incision in the plant trunk. Central Drug Research Institute, (CDR) Lucknow, India has marketed the process as described earlier to a pharmaceutical company under the trade name GUGULIP for commercial exploitation.